Hollywood celebrities’ selective reactions to different events have once again raised questions about their political roles and double standards on the international stage.
A Political Role Beyond Film
Hollywood stars have shown that they play a political role for the United States and are often used as tools in soft power. Among them, Angelina Jolie is a notable figure: she rarely responds to the killing of American civilians by police in her own country, yet for distant crises she appears more compassionate than almost any other advocate and speaks about human rights. In this respect, she clearly symbolizes the West’s one-sided and selective approach to human rights.
Recent Fatal Shootings in the United States
Recently in the United States, a female nurse was shot and killed by an agent of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Renee Nicole Good, 37, was fatally shot by ICE officers in Minneapolis in early January; another agent reportedly shot a Venezuelan immigrant in the leg during the same set of enforcement actions.
Following these events, ICE actions in Minneapolis produced another victim: Alex Pretti was also shot and killed during a confrontation with federal agents. While the Trump administration accused him of carrying a weapon, evidence and his family’s account offer a different narrative about what happened.
Selective Reaction: Silence and Deflection
Despite these incidents, Angelina Jolie did not address them publicly. Instead, she shared an image from events in Iran, attempting to shift focus while overlooking reports of unrest and the presence of saboteurs, thereby indicting Iran.
The American actress made a similar choice during the 2022 “Women, Life, Freedom” protests in Iran by participating in the “Hair Cutting” campaign to support those demonstrations. Yet when U.S. police entered university campuses and forcefully suppressed pro-Palestine students — using pepper spray, handcuffs, and physical force against entirely peaceful protests — she remained silent.
Campus Crackdowns and Western Celebrity Silence
U.S. police moved into university grounds and used tools including pepper spray and force to disperse students who had peacefully erected protest encampments. These violent scenes were met with silence from Western female celebrities often seen as symbols of humanitarianism and women’s rights.
Angelina Jolie, who has conducted numerous high-profile interviews — including with Iranian opposition figure Narges Mohammadi — has never publicly inquired about the condition of pro-Palestine students detained in the United States.
Silence Speaks as Loudly as Words
In today’s media environment, silence and speech alike carry meaning. Public opinion increasingly compares positions and reactions, recognizing double standards. If “human rights” are to be the foundation, they cannot be interpreted based on geography or personal preference.
The credibility of humanitarian action is preserved only when a consistent and transparent stance is taken against all human rights violations — without regard to political or media considerations.
From: Fars